Ohio lawmakers move to change election laws, voter ID requirements
A sweeping overhaul to Ohio election law first introduced last year reemerged Thursday with changes that eliminate attempts to streamline voter registration and limit what can be used for identification at the polls.
House Bill 294 would also allow election officials to set up three ballot drop boxes at one location in the county, which advocates worry could limit access for voters in both urban and rural areas. It also lets Ohioans request an absentee ballot online and eliminates in-person early voting the Monday before Election Day, redistributing those hours to other days.
The bill, sponsored by Reps. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, and Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth, got a mixed response from voting rights groups when it was introduced in 2021, with some comparing it to a Georgia law that critics feared would make it harder to vote.
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The Ohio legislation was put on hold until now, as lawmakers tick through high-priority − and potentially controversial − issues they want to address before the end of the year.
What changes have been made to House Bill 294?
Changes unveiled this week removed conveniences that were included in the previous draft. The bill no longer:
Allows employees at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to update voter information, such as a change of name or address, and ask people if they want to register to vote.
Lets the secretary of state and other officials mail unsolicited absentee ballot applications.
Permits voters who can't physically enter a polling place to vote curbside.
Allows voters to use utility bills or bank statements as identification. Seitz said this change is in anticipation of a separate Senate bill that would require photo identification to vote and provide Ohioans with free state IDs.
“The Senate does not yet feel comfortable with automated voter registration even though I am comfortable with it, but it takes two to tango," Seitz said during a committee hearing Thursday.
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Other tweaks to the bill include a new requirement that driver's licenses and state identification cards note if someone is not a U.S. citizen. That measure is in response to a ballot initiative approved by voters last week that ensures only U.S. citizens can vote in Ohio elections, including local races such as city council.
Under new bill, Ohio voters would need to request absentee ballots seven days before election
Under the new version of the bill, voters would need to request absentee ballots at least seven days before the election instead of three − a change from the original proposal of 10 days. It also incorporates a separate proposal that would eliminate most August special elections.
“A lot of these other things will confuse voters or make it harder on voters, which then creates challenges for boards of elections and poll workers," said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio.
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Secretary of State Frank LaRose is reviewing the new proposal, according to a spokesman. Senate President Matt Huffman said Wednesday that he wants to the Legislature to tackle election reform in the coming weeks.
Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bill to change Ohio election laws revived limiting voter access
